Home Sweet Tree

by The Grey Pegasus

Home Sweet Library Tree

"What do you mean we can't stay in the castle yet?!"

"Spike, there's absolutely nothing in there! We... don't even have anything to move in with."

Dejected, Twilight walked away from the front of where the Golden Oaks Library used to be. As much as she wanted to stay in her new palace, she couldn't—like she said, there was absolutely nothing in there. Nothing but cold empty air.

There was a big celebration earlier and everyone came to greet Twilight at the castle's front doors, but after a quick tour of the place with Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, there really wasn't much left to do. Like Twilight said—they didn't even have anything to move in with, courtesy of Equestria's latest crisis.

Spike walked through the ashes of their former home. Books, shelves, paper—all strewn about in similar looking unrecognizable piles of dust. "Well there's got to be a few things left in here," he said to Twilight. "After all, the basement's probably intact.

Twilight sighed as she sifted through the remains. "I don't know. I'm sure there is, but... I just don't feel like looking. Not right now." Her magic caught onto a small pebble-like object beneath the ashes. Picking it up, she found a small acorn.

That was enough for her for that moment and she tucked it away under her wing. Twilight and Spike walked back towards their friends, who were standing just a little ways away from them.

"So what'cha gonna do, Twilight?" Applejack asked. "I'm real sorry 'bout your old home."

Fluttershy nodded. "What a shame."

Twilight sighed. "There was nothing we could do."

"Over tea, Discord told me he'd offer to clean up what's left of the tree..."

"He'd probably just send parasprites to eat all of it..."

"Can't you just re-grow the tree?" Rarity asked as they stared at the charred remains. "After all, with all of your alicorn magic, surely you could at least bring back the library. The town just feels so empty without its presence."

The alicorn shook her head. "It was more than a tree. There was a lot of magic within it. Even before I came. And after I came to Ponyville, well, I'm sure there's a lot of irreplaceable magic."

"What if you ask to borrow their magic again?" Pinkie suggested.

Twilight's head remained hung. "Maybe. I might be able to bring back the tree. But that would be bringing back a house. Not a home."

"But we got the power of friendship, right?!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Can't that fix everything?!"

"I'm not quite sure how the 'magic' of friendship works, to be honest," Twilight stated. "It seems to be passive; you know, as in, we're friends. That's magical in of itself. But its greater form only seems to come when there's a great adversarial force."

"Well maybe we can use the good ol' power of friendship after all!" Applejack said. "We can just build ya a new home!"

Rarity and Rainbow stared at her. "You're kidding, right?" Rarity said.

Applejack sputtered. "I mean, it can't be that hard, right? We can make a nice little place for Twilight where her place used to be! Lots o' wood, the place means a lot to her, I think it's a great idea!"

The unicorn looked at the earth pony dully. "I don't think that's the brightest idea we can come up with."

"Well I dunno!" Pinkie said. "I think it's worth a try! After all, Applejack's good at raising barns, Fluttershy's good at making stuff from nature, Rainbow's good at making stuff from clouds, I'm good at making stuff fun and happy, and Rarity's good at furnishing things!"

"So whaddya say, Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"I..." Twilight looked unsure. Then she cracked a smile. "I guess we can try."

After spending a good portion of the day working on making Twilight a new home, during which numerous things went right and more things went wrong which included a few magical mishaps, they felt accomplished.

"Yeah! Alright!" Rainbow exclaimed, pumping a bandaged hoof in victory. "I can't believe we did this."

"Rainbow, would you want live in that?" Rarity asked.

"Not really!"

The seven stared at the amalgamation of burnt wood pieces and some planks they were able to get their hooves on. It looked like a tree house. As in the platforms put in the branches of trees. Not Twilight's tree-house. She might be able to argue that it was her old home, just without the tree. Or the bookshelves. Or a lot of the walls.

"I feel like I'm going to burn the place down if I sneeze," Spike commented.

Twilight walked through the front door. "Well, at least we got the atrium about the right size..." she said, definitely unsure of her feelings. She walked up the sketchy stairs up to where there was a loft. "And the loft is... kind of where it's supposed to be."

She kept exploring their creation. "And the balcony..." Twilight cautiously treaded onto the balcony. She was able to give a small smile. "The balcony seems to hold—"

And then it collapsed. And Twilight fell through some supports. Which caused the rest of the house to collapse. She sighed from her position on the ground, covered in some fragments of wood and ashes. "Well..."

"Aw, horsefeathers," Rainbow said.

"Sorry Twilight," Fluttershy apologized. "Don't worry, it'll... all be alright."

"Ya know, if ya'll just listened to me on how to properly build structurally sound frames..." Applejack complained.

"Oh please, Applejack," Rarity argued, "The materials themselves were of poor quality. It was bound to happen!"

Ignoring Rarity, Applejack put a comforting hoof around her friend. "Sorry, Twi. Guess we'll have to take care of all this another day. You're welcome to stay with one of us though," she smiled.

Twilight expressed her gratitude. "Yeah. I think... I think that'll be good. Thanks, Applejack."

"Can we get something to eat first?" Rainbow said. "I'm starving."

"I think Hay Burger is still open," Twilight said.

"But I want pizza."

"Maybe you can ask them for a pizza," Pinkie said.

"Pinkie, they're a burger place. They don't sell pizza."

"Well maybe Twilight can tell them to make a pizza!"

"Girls, can we just call it a day?" Twilight wearily said. "Princess Celestia said that she's trying to get everything set, but even that'll take a few days."

"A few days?!" Applejack exclaimed. "Why that's just absurd!"

"I agree," Rarity said. "I'd have expected that for a new princess, ponies would move mountains for you."

Twilight lightly shrugged. "Well, there's paperwork, then the organization of the entire effort, plus Princess Celestia wants me to pick out some of my furniture, and we still have to salvage the things from my basement which may or may not still be there, which is a bit of a problem considering all the magic that may or may not be dangerous..."

"And all the ponies that were hurt by Tirek..." Fluttershy added. "I suppose they deserve a little bit of time."

Twilight nodded. "I would agree with that."

"Then I think you should take up Applejack's offer to stay with one of us," Rarity advised. "Really, that should've been her first suggestion."

"Then it's settled!" Applejack said, ignoring Rarity. "Who do you want to stay with?"

"Well..." Twilight pondered, "I think I should stay as close as possible here. You know, just so I'm nearby when important business happens."

"Ooh! Ooh!" Pinkie jumped. "Twilight can stay with me! We're close by and we have food!"

Rainbow raised a foreleg in agreement. "I agree and my stomach agrees!"

The seven finished a light dinner at Sugarcube Corner. A lot of it was takeout from Hay Burger, which was quickly devoured by the exhausted ponies and dragon. Sugarcube Corner's pastries filled their remaining appetite. And soon Twilight and Pinkie soon found themselves waving goodbye to their friends.

"Yay! Sleepover!" Pinkie happily exclaimed.

"I'm glad you could let me stay here for the time being, Pinkie," Twilight smiled.

"Yup! But, uh, the Cakes are kind of using the last guest bedroom for something, so you're just going to have to sleep with me! If that's okay with you."

"She snores," Spike whispered.

"I do not!" Twilight shot back.

"That's okay!" Pinkie gleefully said. "I'm a hardy sleeper!"

"So where am I sleeping?" Spike asked.

"Weeellll there's still some extra pillows and sheets and stuff. Maybe the couch?"

Spike shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

Arrangements were quickly set up, and the two ponies were quickly surrendering to their urge to sleep. Although Twilight's slightly larger size and wings made fitting in the bed next to Pinkie a little less than comfortable, they managed.

"Don't you think this is so much better than being roommates, Twilight? Bedmates!"

"Yeah..." Twilight yawned.

"Good night, Twilight!"

"Good night, Pinkie." Twilight looked up to see her owl perched in the window. "Good night to you too, Owlowiscious."

"Hoo."

Pinkie was already fast asleep and lightly snoring. Not enough to keep Twilight awake, but still audible.

*Snk*... *Snkkkkkk*...

Actually, scratch that. Twilight was afraid that she'd still hear Pinkie in her dreams at this rate. Fortunately, a simple soundproofing spell around Pinkie solved that. The room was finally quiet. Twilight gave a second attempt at going to sleep, stretching her limbs and wings.

Content, Twilight herself was just beginning to drift off to sleep when she felt Pinkie jerk next to her. "Aaah! Pinkie Sense, Pinkie Sense!"

"What?!" Twilight exclaimed, eyes wide open.

"Spiders!"

Twilight didn't have much time to ponder Pinkie's exclamation as she was bucked off the bed by her friend. After a grunt of surprise landing on the ground, "Pinkie what the—"

"Spider! Spider! Spider!"

The alicorn wasn't able to think as she was interrupted by Pinkie slamming the bed down on her. "Ah!—Pinkie!—No!—Ow!—Wake!—Up!—"

Pinkie stopped, put the bed down, and laid back down as if nothing happened.

Twilight was frozen on the ground in confusion and a little bit from aching. "What... the hay... was that?" She walked around the bed, inspecting Pinkie. "What? Asleep? Oh, darn somnambulists..."

Putting it off as another one of Pinkie's oddities, Twilight felt sleep calling her again and walked back around to her side of the bed. She had just moved the sheets over and was readying to get in when—

"Pinkie Sense! Pinkie Sense!"

Twilight was, once again, wide awake. She moved to get away from Pinkie but—"Wait! N—Ow!—Pinkie!—It's!—Ow!—Me!—Twilight!—Ow!—"

After the assault on 'spiders' was over again, a dazed Twilight was again left on the ground. She waited for any sounds of anyone else waking up, but heard nothing despite the commotion. "Only Pinkie..."

She looked back at her pink friend sleeping contently. Twilight felt her spine chill as she contemplated walking back to try getting back into bed.

She decided against it.

*Knock knock*

A weary Twilight and Spike waited outside the door of Carousel Boutique. Twilight was trying to focus on Owlowiscious's talons lightly digging into her back and not the weight of both an owl and a sleeping dragon perched on her back. Trying to remain patient, Twilight's hoof hovered over the door without knocking.

Then she knocked again. Harder.

For her effort, she received some muffled voice speaking inside. The door opened, revealing an unpleased Rarity.

"Hi, Rarity," Twilight greeted.

Her friend immediately perked up. "Twilight! What ever are you doing here at this ungodly hour? I thought you were staying at Pinkie Pie's!"

"Plans... changed," the alicorn replied, not wishing to go into specifics.

"Ah." Rarity waved them in. "Uh, apologies, Twilight, but I haven't had visitors in so long, that the guest room has been turned into a storage room, for all intents and purposes. If I had known you were coming—"

"Rarity, it's fine. We just need a place to sleep."

"Oh!" Rarity exclaimed, looking concerned for the princess's well-being. "Well it would be quite rude of me to not offer up my own bed. After all, you're a princess," Rarity smiled. "A pony with your responsibilities surely deserves a better rest than me."

Twilight considered as they climbed the stairs. "Well, I'm... still also your friend, Rarity. I don't want to inconvenience you."

"Oh, Twilight. As if waking me up in the middle of the night isn't inconvenient enough. Really, Twilight, anything. Glass of water?"

"Rarity..."

"Just accept my generosity, Twilight. It's in my nature."

Twilight just stared at her friend. "I..."

Rarity sighed, giving a slight smile. "If you're so concerned about me, then would you like to just share the bed instead? It's quite large. I'm sure you have better bedside manners than Applejack."

Sharing a bed. "Uh..." But it was Rarity, who definitely did not have Pinkie's bizarre traits. "I... guess?"

"Good! Then it's settled."

Shortly afterward, they both settled on opposite sides of the bed. Rarity insisted on giving Twilight more room for her larger stature. The bed had plenty of space anyways. Just before Twilight went to sleep, she opened the window with her magic, allowing Owlowiscious to get out and some air to get in. After all the tiring walking outside, she definitely wanted some air in the warm room.

Finally with some air circulating in the room, Twilight was able to lull herself to sleep. Especially because Rarity didn't snore like Pinkie. Twilight was actually somewhat surprised.

And then she felt the sheets slide off from her.

"Mmm... ngg..."

Twilight sat up, staring at Rarity who had curled up into the covers, which included all of Twilight's practical side. "You've got to be kidding me..." The alicorn slowly pulled back her share, careful not to wake the unicorn.

Finally, after maybe half a minute of careful movements, Twilight was again comfortably lying down and ready to—

Rarity pulled the sheets back again.

Twilight grumbled, and took it back again.

And again. And again. And—

"Some generosity..." Exhausted and exasperated, Twilight dropped her head down on the pillow, deciding that it wasn't even cold enough to need the covers. Accepting the terms, Twilight drifted off to sleep, letting the stress of the day flow away.

"Ahh!"

Twilight felt herself get kicked in her stomach hard and onto the floor. "Rarity, what the—" She was interrupted as she repeatedly had Rarity's fainting couch slam down on her.

"Ahh! Ahh!"

"Rar!—ow!—it!—ty!—ow!—Dear!—Celestia!—Ow!—Stop!—"

Rarity stopped screaming and the sofa stopped hitting her. "Ohh... Twilight! I-I'm so sorry about that."

"Y-yeah..." Twilight replied, dazed.

"I just had a terrible dream that someone tried to get in bed with me..."

"Uh huh..."

"I thought I felt..." Rarity looked down at the bed. "Oh. No wonder. Um... Twilight, did you know you drool when you sleep? And snore?"

"Uh..." She instinctively wiped her mouth. "You know what? I think I'll just... take the couch..." The alicorn clambered onto the recent assault weapon.

Rarity tried to argue but stayed silent as Twilight succumbed to sleep. She looked down at her bed, looking at Twilight's spot. "Ew."

After a restful, stressful night, Twilight and her friends were once again standing at the remains of Twilight's home.

"I've decided I'm just going to stay in Canterlot until the castle is all ready. I already wrote to Princess Celestia to send over a chariot."

"What?!" Pinkie exclaimed. "But—but—you're supposed to be here! With your friends!"

"Well, I'll be back," Twilight reassured them. "In a couple of days. Or a week. Or so."

"I wouldn't mind," Spike groaned. "I just want somewhere good to sleep."

"But Twilight, you haven't even tried stayin' at other places!" Applejack exclaimed. "Or, at least my place. Or Fluttershy's."

"I... uh," Twilight contemplated an answer. "... Would prefer somewhere to myself."

"Hey, there ain't anythin' queer at my place! On my word! Don't know about Flutters's place though."

"Um..." was Fluttershy's only comment.

"No, no, it's fine, Applejack. Besides, if I stay in Canterlot, business is a bit easier to do since everything's close by."

"Oh, come on, Twilight," Rainbow exclaimed, "After everything we've been through yesterday, you're going to leave your friends again?"

"Rainbow, it's only for a little bit."

"But we're trying to help you!"

Twilight sighed, walking over to the remains of the library. "I appreciate the help, girls, really, I do, but I think it would be better if I just went to Canterlot for now."

She paced around, remembering where the walls used to be, where the bookshelves loomed filled with knowledge, wisdom, and memories. She didn't even want to think about the possibility of some books being saved in the basement; for every normal book saved, there was probably a hundred gone, and for every special book that was saved, another ten were probably lost.

Twilight found a spot where the wood was charred away. Digging with her magic, she created a small hole in the ground surrounded by ashes and any part of the tree still intact. With a heavy heart and a few tears, Twilight took the small acorn she found the day before and put it in.

"May you grow once more and be a grand tree like the one I knew and loved." Twilight felt the presence of her friends as they came around her and gave her a hug. They broke apart on Twilight's cue. She looked towards the chariot pulled by Royal Guards from Canterlot.

"Well, there's my ride," Twilight noted solemnly.

Fluttershy shifted in place. "Oh, Twilight, do you really have to go?"

"Yeah, do you, do you?" Pinkie said excitedly.

"Well of course, Pinkie," Twilight answered. "I made arrangements with Princess Celestia earlier this morning. We might be back later to look through the remains."

"Really?!" Pinkie said, surprised. "So now what?"

"Pinkie, what do you mean 'now what'?" Rainbow asked.

"Well, is the tree going to grow back?"

"Pinkie, what are you talking about?" Twilight said, confused.

"Well, you planted the acorn! Isn't the power of friendship going to grow it back or something?"

"Uh, no? I'm not sure it works that way. Look, I have to go now. I've got some things to take care of later, and I'd like to be on time." Twilight started walking towards the chariot, her friends and Spike following suit.

"What?!" Pinkie exclaimed. "But—but—you can't just go!"

Twilight sighed. "Pinkie, I don't understand what's so difficult about this."

Pinkie clung onto Twilight's leg. "But—"

Applejack grabbed onto Pinkie, aiming to pry her off Twilight. "Come on, Pinkie. Jus' let Twi go."

"But—the tree..."

Twilight shook her leg. "Pinkie, can you please let go?"

"We'll take care of it later with Twilight, okay?"

"But... I thought..."

Rainbow bit down on Pinkie's tail. "Pinkie! Just let Twilight go! She'll be back later!"

Pinkie reactively held on tighter.

"Pinkie!" Twilight yelled as she strained to keep walking.

Rarity joined in, pulling on Pinkie with her magic. "Pinkie Pie, just please let Twilight go. You're being more irrational than usual."

"No!"

Fluttershy pulled on Rainbow's tail, hoping that they could get Pinkie off without breaking Twilight's leg. "Pinkie, please!" she herself pleaded. "Someone could get seriously hurt!"

Shortly after Fluttershy said that, they all collapsed in a heap. Twilight massaged her sore leg and thigh. She sighed. "Sorry, Pinkie. But I promise, it won't be long. I'll try and get the new palace all ready as quickly as possible." She stood up and continued towards the carriage.

Pinkie looked disappointedly at the plot of land where the tree once stood proudly before it was reduced to a charred husk. "Oh..."

"Twilight!"

Twilight stopped and turned around. "Oh, what now?!"

"Twilight, Twilight, I've got a question!"

To Twilight's surprise, it was Apple Bloom. The filly was running up to her from across the tree. "Huh?"

"I got a question 'bout that homework ya gave me couple days—WHOA!" Apple Bloom tripped as she ran through the burned tree, landing hard on one of her saddlebags.

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack ran over, concerned. "Are you alright?!"

Apple Bloom sat up and opened her saddlebag. "Yeah..." She poured out the remains, some shattered glass and the potion previously held inside pouring out of the bag and onto the ground. "Too bad this potion isn't. I was goin' to ask Twilight somethin' about it..."

"Oh, I'm sure—"

Applejack was interrupted as the ground gave a vicious rumble. "What the—"

She was interrupted again as she and Apple Bloom were lifted off the ground.

Twilight stared in shock. "... My tree!"

One of the guards neared her. "Shall we, uh, tell Princess Celestia of this new development?"

"Oh, yes! With haste!"

"As you wish, Princess Twilight." The two pegasi flew off for Canterlot.

Meanwhile, Twilight was already gone, wasting no time in taking a look inside her old home. "My house is back!"

She ran inside, finding mostly everything as if nothing happened. Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Spike followed close behind.

"Does this mean you're staying here forever?!" Pinkie asked excitedly.

Twilight was already on her loft, running ever higher into the tree. "Oh, I could just do that!" She stood upon her observatory, looking over Ponyville and as far as she could see. She knew that the stupid balcony on that new crystal palace could never compare her's of natural oak, so humble and simple.

"Twi! Can you get us down from here?! And I believe you owe my sister a 'thank you'!"